This invention is directed to adjustable steering tie rods that have improved adjustment means. It is employed in steering tie rods for motorized vehicles for adjusting the length of the steering tie rod, without the usual disassembly, such that a predetermined toe-in or toe-out angel prescribed for the front wheels of the vehicle is obtained.
Known steering tie rods employ an adjusting rod, with a sleeve having an internal thread with blades to the left on one side and to the right on the other side, where steering terminals are mounted. Adjustment is obtained through rotation of the sleeve in an appropriate direction. A pair of clamps, bolts, and fastener nuts are employed for obtaining a perfect fastening.
However, this construction has the inconvenience of requiring multiple fastening systems (clampers, bolts, and nuts), one for each end of the sleeve, thereby requiring consequently more space, increasing the length of the tie rod assembly and making difficult to utilize this system in some cases besides the necessity of a larger space requirement and difficulty in usage of tools for adjusting and fastening the steering tie rod in the vehicle.
Another known way utilized for obtaining desired tie rod angle settings is employing an intermediate member having internal and external thread. The setting is obtained through the rotation of the intermediate member in an appropriate direction. However, this construction inconveniently requires moving the intermediate member in the axial direction to perform the coupling. Accordingly, the rotation of the intermediate member weakens the thread, thereby reducing the safety factor, which is typically ensured by rigid control of the intermediate member assembly.
The current invention eliminates all the aforementioned prior inconveniences, since it allows to set the geometry of the front wheels in any projects, and since an extremely reduced space is required, it allows setting within the small space due to the prior reason and it maintain the rigidity required for the safety of motorized vehicles"" users.